The restrictions on travel and business imposed to stem the coronavirus’ spread wiped out nearly all travel revenue for Greece in April, according to Bank of Greece figures.
Provisional figures show travel receipts stood at 7 million euros in April, compared with 544 million euros in the same month last year, or a drop of 98.7 percent, Greece’s central bank said on Monday.
“The fall in travel receipts resulted from a 96.2 percent decline in inbound traveller flows and a 62.2 percent decrease in average expenditure per trip,” the Bank of Greece said in a statement.
Greece’s economy depends heavily on tourism, which directly and indirectly accounts for around 20 percent of annual gross domestic product. After an early lockdown imposed in March kept coronavirus deaths and serious illnesses at low levels, the country is now reopening to visitors from abroad, with the government hoping to salvage what it can from the lucrative summer tourist season.
Visitors have been able to fly into Athens and the northern city of Thessaloniki since June 15, while direct international flights to regional airports restart on July 1. Year-round hotels were allowed to open earlier this month, but many remain shut due to a lack of bookings.
Travel receipts in the four months from January to April dropped 51.4 percent from a year earlier, the Bank of Greece said, with a 36 percent drop in the number of people arriving in the country.
A total of 38,000 people entered the country in April, a 96.2 percent fall compared to the same month last year.
“Among major countries of origin, there were only some modest visitor flows from Germany, and those were down 99.2 percent year-on-year,” the Bank concluded.
Greece’s first leftist Prime Minister and great reformist, Andreas Papandreou, passed away on this day in 1996.
Like all great politicians, Papandreou had many admirers and equally as many sworn enemies. His followers believe that he modernised Greece by ridding it of some conservative traditions. His opponents believe that he was a cunning populist who degraded Greek political life.
We take a look back on some of his achievements to mark the day of his death.
Early Life:
Andreas Papandreou was born in Chios on February 5, 1919. He was the son of George Papandreou, a revered politician of the Centre Union and lovingly called by most Greeks the “Old Man of the Republic.” His mother was Sofia Mineiko, the daughter of the philhellene Polish officer Sigmund Mineiko.
Papandreou attended the American College in Athens and studied law at the University of Athens. A Trotskyite, he was imprisoned briefly by the dictator Ioannis Metaxas and, when freed, fled to the United States, where he received a PhD in 1943 from Harvard University and obtained US citizenship in 1944.
Andreas Papandreou had a strong connection to the US. He’s pictured here with President Clinton.
After serving in the US Navy, he taught at Harvard, the University of Minnesota, and the University of California, Berkeley. He specialised in Economic Theory and Method, Industrial Organisation, Comparative Economic Systems, Political Theory and Economics.
His return to Greece and the establishment of PASOK:
In 1959, Papandreou visited Greece for one year on Guggenheim and Fulbright scholarships, heading up a research program on economic development. In 1960, he was appointed General Director of the Athens Economic Research Center and advisor to the Bank of Greece.
When his father became Prime Minister of Greece in 1963, Andreas gave up his US citizenship, returned to his native country for good, and won election to the Greek parliament as an MP for the Achaia region. His rapid rise in politics was halted however, when the military coup of 1967 occurred.
Papandreou was jailed for eight months after the military coup and was then released. He again went into exile, teaching in Stockholm and Toronto and leading the democratic resistance to the junta from overseas.
But after the collapse of the Greek military dictatorship in 1974, he returned home and formed the left-wing Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). His new party steadily increased its popularity and in 1981 won a sweeping victory, capturing 172 of the 300 seats in parliament.
Prime Minister of Greece (1981 – 1989) and (1993 – 1996):
As a candidate, Papandreou had advocated quasi-socialist domestic reforms while also calling for the removal of US military bases from Greece and for Greece to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). But once in power, he pursued more moderate policies.
The marriage and religious laws were liberalised and some government functions were decentralised, but the leases on US military bases in Greece were renewed and Greece remained in NATO. The generous social welfare programs undertaken by his government could be financed only by public borrowing on a large scale.
Papandreou was Prime Minister of Greece from 1981 – 1989 and 1993 – 1996.
Papandreou’s combination of pragmatic policies with a strident anti-American rhetoric proved popular. His party won a decisive victory in the general elections of 1985, and he continued as prime minister. Late in Papandreou’s second term, his government was weakened by a grave financial scandal that forced the dismissal or resignation of three cabinet ministers.
Papandreou’s popularity was further diminished by his highly publicised relationship with a much younger woman before divorcing his second wife. Moreover, the huge budget deficits incurred by his government had led to rising levels of inflation and a growing foreign debt.
In the elections of June 18, 1989, PASOK lost its majority in the Parliament and Papandreou resigned from office on June 19. In 1992, he was acquitted of corruption charges stemming from the financial scandal and he continued as the leader of PASOK.
PASOK won a landslide victory in general elections in October 1993, and Papandreou again became prime minister, serving until ill health forced him to retire in January 1996. He passed away in the early hours of June 23 later that year, at the age of 77.
His son, George A. Papandreou, was elected prime minister in October 2009.
The Victorian Government has announced its new cabinet line-up after the sudden departure of three ministers last week following the branch stacking scandal.
Jenny Mikakos MP has retained her position as Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, while Nick Staikos MP is the new Parliamentary Secretary to Treasurer Tim Pallas, and Steve Dimopoulos MP was promoted to the position of Parliamentary Secretary to Premier Daniel Andrews.
All three Greek-Australians are expected to make a significant contribution to the Victorian Labor Government, which is currently prioritising local jobs and recovering from the COVID-19 crisis as case numbers spike in the state.
I am so pleased to have been appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer today. Creating jobs and opportunities for Victorians has always been a significant priority of the Andrews Labor Government and I am looking forward to making this contribution. #springst
“Victoria is facing an unprecedented challenge as we begin the recovery from coronavirus. This is the strong, dedicated and determined team to get us through to the other side,” Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, said in a statement after the appointments were announced.
Hours later, Nick Staikos MP concurred with this message via Twitter, writing: “Creating jobs and opportunities for Victorians has always been a significant priority of the Andrews Labor Government and I am looking forward to making this contribution.”
Steve Dimopoulos MP also told The Greek Herald exclusively that he is “pleased and honoured” with his new role.
“The Victorian Government works hard every day with the goal of supporting the aspirations of all Victorians. I am pleased and feel honoured that the Premier has given me a role that allows me to work more closely with him towards that very goal,” Mr Dimopoulos told The Greek Herald.
“I congratulate all my colleagues who have received different roles in yesterday’s government changes and in particular my colleague and friend of Greek heritage, Nick Staikos, who has been given the role of Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer.”
Greek Australian, Despina Savva, is through to the Play-Offs on The Voice Australia 2020 after judge Kelly Rowland didn’t hesitate to “save” the superstar during last night’s Battle Round.
The 14-year-old, who was initially on team Boy George, went up against Siala during the battle with a stunning rendition of Jorja Smith’s hit song ‘Teenage Fantasy.’
Despite telling Despina she’d hit some “really strong notes” and connected with the room, Boy George picked Siala and her rapping skills to remain on his team. But as soon as the opportunity came for the coaches to save Despina, both George and Kelly Rowland didn’t hesitate to push their button.
Despina shocks the coaches with her bold move. (Nine/ITV)
“We have unfinished business. We haven’t even done what we’ve started to do,” George appealed to Despina. “I would have put you both through if I could, and I’m trying to do that right now.”
Despina didn’t look too convinced.
“Working with artists like Despina really gets all my senses going. You are so meant to be here and I want to see how you grow, but I want to be the Coach to help you get there,” Kelly pitched.
Despina picks Kelly over George. (Nine/ITV)
In a bold and surprising move, Despina decided to ditch George and take up a spot on #TeamKelly.
“I love you George but, you know, you picked Siala, so I’m going to give Kelly a chance,” was her reasoning.
We’re so excited to see what this shining star does next!
Perceptions on belonging to the Greek
diaspora of Australia are shifting. As a second-generation Greek-Australian
myself, and as one who has also felt inextricably tied to her heritage, I sense
a seismic shift in how I, and those like me, identify as a part of this group.
We, children born in the 90s and 00s,
championed an indifference and neglect towards our cultural DNA in our coming
of age years. This has now transformed into us actively seeking out forgotten
elements of our identity as young Greek-Australians.
Here, I endeavour to uncover the reasons
for the shift.
As a small child virtually raised by Yiayia
Effie and Papou Trevor on the fringes of Canterbury and Earlwood, a highly
Greek-populated area, the values I was raised with were nothing new to me.
Everybody went to Church on Sunday, Greek dancing on Wednesday and there was
never a short supply of family gathering, or “trapezia” as Pappou
used to call it. So heavily influenced by the Greeks who enrolled in the
catchment was my public primary school that Greek language class was embedded
into the school curriculum, and Orthodox scripture was taught every Tuesday
following lunch by none other than my own Yiayia.
I can vouch for many of my fellow
Greek-Australians millennials who experienced an almost identical childhood,
and took it for granted. It wasn’t until I grew older, moved to different high
schools, universities and then into the workforce that the “Wog
Bubble” burst to reveal many more diverse characters and life experiences,
so very different from my own.
I had been subject to a normal level of schoolyard cattiness, but I was never attacked or isolated because of my Orthodox faith or ethnic heritage until I stepped into a school with a largely white population. Kids who couldn’t tell the difference between a kebab and a souvlaki, hommus and tzatziki, or a Greek and an Italian.
Maddy Constantine as a young girl. Supplied by Maddy Constantine.
Suddenly my heritage, the way I was raised and taught to behave was an object for ridicule. An identity crisis ensued, where I bargained between fitting into my new school and suppressing who I inherently was as a person. A particular memory that stands out is when I was called a “Jesus Freak” in Extension English by a fellow student, for being able to answer a question about Shinto Buddhism. And let’s not forget the countless times I had to eat lunch alone so as to avoid the questions related to what “exotic” food I was eating that day.
At the same time I strived to keep a low
profile and “tone it down” I witnessed kids who grew up in the Greek
communities with me start to shy away from their “wog” heritage.
Attendance at Easter mass amongst the teens dropped dramatically, a midnight
tradition once cherished by those lucky enough to experience it. A few of my
friends dropped out of Greek dancing, and many more stopped listening to Greek
music all together. Only “losers” went to the Annual Greek Festival
in Darling Harbour each year, and the few of us who could speak Greek found it
harder and harder to communicate with our non-English speaking grandparents.
When Greek friends made fun of me for
wanting to play some Greek music in the car it saddened me and left me
wondering, why? Even at university I was hesitant to join the Hellenic Society
on campus in fear of being associated with “overly-patriotic” Greek
kids (turns out years later I would become great friends with a few of them),
even though a part of me wanted to share my love for Greek culture with others
my age.
Looking back at these times I can’t help
but marvel at how things have changed over the years. More and more I am
noticing my generation start to embrace their heritage again in different ways.
Some frequent dedicated “Greek Nights” at the nightclubs in Sydney. Others,
travel to Greece on yearly pilgrimages to visit the villages of their parents
and grandparents and experience the sun-soaked wonder of a Greek summer. These
are just a few specific examples but in general it seems we are less ashamed,
and more proud of the place that has shaped our cultural identity, and there
are many reasons why.
“Greek nights” at nightclubs in Sydney are popular among young Greek Australians. Supplied by Maddy Constantine.
One popular sentiment amongst young
Greek-Australians is the feeling that our ties to Greece are directly related
to the connection we have with our grandparents. A majority of our grandparents
were the first to migrate to Australia after World War Two on voyages such as
the “Patris”. They settled here and weaved the Greek culture into how
they raised the generations to follow. For many of us in the second generation,
our grandparents practically raised us, and were the ones to teach us most of
the language as we know, as well as some of the “Greek-lish” words we
have come to use such as “petrelio” and “toileta”.
As I get older and my grandparents age and
start to pass away, I find myself suddenly desperate to learn everything they
know. Their recipes, their vocabulary and stories of their youth. I am not
alone in this. Countless times I have heard fellow Greeks say things like
“I wish I spoke to my Grandparents more” and “nobody made pita
like my Yiayia”. This I believe is one of the driving forces for us
clutching on to our heritage more fervently than ever.
Another leading cause for the revival of
Greek culture in our communities is the arrival of new migrants from Greece
following the crash of the Greek economy in 2010. Since then Australia has
experienced an influx of Greek migrants on temporary and permanent visas,
seven-fold for those on student visas and a four-fold rise in family migration.
As these people arrive on our shores they have settled and started businesses
of their own, much like the “milk-bar” generation of post-war Greeks
striving for prosperity in the “Lucky Country”.
These people, however, are not carrying the torch alone. Amongst the new wave of migrants and business owners culturing our city with authenticity and passion comes the pioneers in the younger generations, making names for themselves in the Australian-Greek scene.
These emerging pockets of Hellenism in the
fabric of our multicultural society are deeply encouraging to a person like me,
so passionate to keep the stories and traditions of my Greek heritage alive. We
must embrace who we are and never be ashamed of just how much our lives are
enriched by the ability to belong to the Greek community of Australia.
In my humble opinion, the thing us
Greek-Australians have to be proud of the most, is the inherent sense of
“Philotimo” we can share with others. Philotimo, a word packed with so much
meaning and essential to the Greek way of life, can change the world through
its teaching of selflessness and honour for doing good, often symbolised by
inviting a stranger into your home to experience love, shelter and kindness,
before you.
The “Greek Revival” in Australia is in its
early phases, there is so much more we can do for the Australian community in
the years to come.
Constantine Costi is an expert in seafood as he’s been involved in the family business, De Costi Seafoods, since before he can remember. But what many people don’t know about the 30-year-old is that he has also had an enduring love-affair with opera since the age of 14, when he was drawn to a vinyl recording of Debussy’s Pelleas et Melisande in an op shop.
“I remember just listening in my room to this record over and over and over again. I was completely intoxicated and felt like I’d discovered this private little world that none of my friends knew about. That no one knew about,” Costi tells The Sydney Morning Herald. “It was just a happy accident. It was a passion and an obsession, and an unbelievable recognition that music could be this beautiful and moving.”
Constantine Costi is now a full-time opera and theatre director. Picture by: Australian Brandenberg Orchestra.
Costi is now a full-time opera and theatre director who was due to launch his solo directorial debut with Opera Australia this year. However, due to COVID-19, his chance to direct La Traviata in April’s ‘Handa on Sydney Harbour’ production was postponed to next year. News which has definitely not dampened Costi’s excitement about the possibilities for the upcoming production.
In fact, he’s been studying La Traviata, poring over books at the State Library and listening to “way too many recordings” in an effort to bring fresh eyes and ears to Verdi’s masterwork. With such dedication, it’s a happy thought that the production is still set to go ahead in 2021.
‘I probably should’ve been a farmer in Cyprus’:
Costi grew up on Sydney’s North Shore, the son of Greek Cypriot (his father’s side) and Italian (his mother’s side) migrants. His grandfather came from Cyprus in the 1930s and opened a fish and chip shop in Lakemba.
“My dad and his two sisters and brother lived above the shop. They learned the family trade and they went from there and started De Costi Seafoods. It’s something I’ve been doing my entire life — filleting fish and working in the markets at the fish shop,” Costi tells the SMH.
De Costi Seafoods has played a huge part in Constantine’s life. It was founded by Andrea and George Costi in 1981. Picture by: De Costi Seafoods.
“There was even a period a few years ago when my brother [Michael], who’s a playwright, and I were running our own little stall at Birkenhead Plaza on Saturdays and Sundays, working 18-hour days and then rehearsing avant-garde theatre pieces during the week.”
Family is central to Costi’s life and he’s conscious his own success owes much to the decisions and hard work of the family. While his parents, Steve and Connie, knew little or nothing about the world of opera that had captured their son, they were happy to back him and his siblings in whatever directions they chose.
“I’m just a very lucky person to have come along at the time I came along. Otherwise, I probably should have been a farmer in Cyprus, pulling potatoes out of the ground and helping the goat give birth,” Costi says.
Constantine Costi (right) and his siblings all work in the creative industry.
“My parents were incredibly supportive but they weren’t particularly educated themselves beyond high school. They married very young and their lives were family and work. And that’s a beautiful thing in itself.
“But I think they were just excited by us following our passions. I’m really lucky. It isn’t the stereotype of the traditional Mediterranean family. We were free to explore what we wanted and we were totally encouraged.”
And it’s for that reason that Costi will be supported by his family every step of the way on his incredible journey with Opera Australia.
Members of the Markakis family unwittingly entered a bidding war with each other for a grand terrace in Stanmore when it went under the hammer.
The five-bedroom, multi-level home on Cavendish St eventually sold at auction for $2.37 million on Saturday, $170,000 over the reserve price.
There were six registered bidders but only two took an active part in the auction, firing off more than 40 bids before auctioneer Ricky Briggs dropped the hammer.
It was only after the auction that the winning buyers realised the underbidders, who had been wearing hats and sunglasses while bidding, were family.
Auctioneer Ricky Briggs received more than 40 bids at the auction of a Stanmore house on Cavendish St. Picture: Julian Andrews I realestate.com.au
Buyer Anthony Markakis, whose father bid on his behalf for the latter part of the auction, said they had no idea they were up against their family.
His father was heard apologising to the underbidders after the auction and said he may have bid differently if he had known who we was up against.
Mr Markakis said he and his partner liked the home because of the scope for improvement and had been looking for a renovation project. “I liked the size, the character. There’s lots of potential. Now we have to get thinking, see what’s feasible,” he said.
Stanmore terrace. Picture: Julian Andrews I realestate.com.au
Selling agent Blake Lowry of Belle Property-Annandale said the sellers were elated with the result.
The property attracted a mix of novice renovators and experienced builders. More than 80 groups inspected the property, Mr Lowry said. “It is a large house for the area and big block,” he said, adding it would cost at least $250,000 to renovate.
“There were a mix of budgets. Some might have done it for $500,000, you could probably spend even more,” Mr Lowry said.
The property was one of close to 500 Sydney homes to go under the hammer this week.
Greece has formally requested the European Union to begin legal procedures against the nation of Denmark over its alleged appropriation of Greece’s iconic feta cheese.
“The Agriculture Minister has (approved) the activation of European Commission legal action against Denmark for violating protected designation of origin (regulations),” the Greek Agriculture Ministry said in a statement.
Feta is an “emblematic” Greek product, the Ministry said, adding that Denmark had “refused to cooperate” with European Union regulations.
It has also allowed Danish producers to manufacture “imitation feta” and to export “imitation EU cheeses” to non-EU countries, Athens said.
Feta cheese counts among a number of region-specific foods and beverages which European countries are fighting to maintain their appellation of origin.
In 2005, the European Court of Justice struck down an appeal from Germany and Denmark, backed by France and Britain, over the right of their producers to keep using the feta name for their white, brine-soaked cheeses.
The chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, Konstantinos Floros, has warned that Greece would not tolerate any violation of the country’s sovereignty.
His remarks came after Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, claimed again that islands that lie far from the Greek mainland, including Kastellorizo in the southeastern Aegean, are not entitled to a continental shelf.
“The Armed Forces are an organised army, navy and air force. It is very difficult to confront them and whoever does it will face a very high cost, which is something our neighbors know about,” Floros told journalists at the Defense Ministry.
Asked about the possibility of an incident in response to Turkey’s activities, Floros said that preparations are being made, as there are ongoing exercises, area reservations and testing of plans.
“A military response is a possibility. No one can rule it out. If something like this happens on a group of islands, it will immediately spread to other regions,” he said.
Floros added that any accident in the Aegean will be caused “by the daily pressure exerted by Turkey on Greece and they will be to blame.”
As the New Acropolis Museum celebrated its 11th anniversary on Saturday, Athens reinvigorated its call for Britain to return the Parthenon marbles.
Greece’s Culture Minister, Lina Mendoni, told newspaper Ta Nea that the British Museum’s retention of the antiquities is illegal and “contrary to any moral principle.”
“Since September 2003 when construction work for the Acropolis Museum began, Greece has systematically demanded the return of the marbles on display in the British Museum because they are the product of theft,” Mendoni told the Greek media outlet.
The Parthenon Sculptures are yet to return to Greece. Source: The New Yorker.
“The current Greek government, like any Greek government, is not going to stop claiming the stolen sculptures which the British Museum, contrary to any moral principle, continues to hold illegally.”
Mendoni also said that the British Museum has argued Athens has nowhere decent enough to display Phidias’ masterpieces, and added that its stance was “in stark contrast” to the view of the UK public.
In repeated polls, Britons have voiced support for the repatriation of the marbles, controversially removed from the Parthenon in 1802 at the behest of Lord Elgin, London’s ambassador to the Sublime Porte.
“It is sad that one of the world’s largest and most important museums is still governed by outdated, colonialist views.”
The Greek government has promised to strengthen its campaign to retrieve the marbles in time for the country’s 200 year independence celebrations next year.
